Authors Note: Things are going to take a turn from this chapter on. It might not necessarily be Ginny who is opening the Chamber of Secrets ;) I have laid out a few little clues for various suspects who it might be. Hope when it is revealed people like it. I would love to hear any thoughts and theories in the comments.
Halloween was always a big event at Hogwarts, and this year was no exemption. The Great Hall was extravagantly decorated with giant pumpkins that Hagrid had proudly grown and a chorus of suits of armour that Flitwick had charmed to sing Halloween songs.
The feast was spectacular too, and both Dudley and Ron were stuffing their faces greedily. Dean, however, looked more subdued. He was sliding his meatballs around his plate without eating much.
"Whatsamatter?" Dudley said, through a mouthful of food.
"I'm just not feeling good," Dean said.
Dudley nodded. There seemed to be a touch of illness going around still. He had noticed that Ginny was also missing. Percy had been seen earlier that day escorting her and a concerned Luna to the hospital wing, her face very pale. Colin Creevey too was missing—though Dudley was unsure if he was also ill or whether he just didn't want to run into Dudley.
Since hitting him a few nights ago, Dudley had given Colin another beating. After getting a ticking off from McGonagall for his poor charms essay, Dudley had relieved some of his anger by giving Colin a sharp slap on the cheek when he passed the smaller boy in the corridor. So, Dudley wasn't surprised that he was keeping out of the way.
As Dudley ate, he looked around. At the main table, Lockhart was holding court, wearing a spectacular set of robes of orange and black. Snape was looking grumpy as he ate a bowl of soup. Dudley could hardly believe that Dumbledore was letting a Death Eater work here. Even if Snape had, supposedly, reformed. He wondered if the rest of the teachers knew.
"Dudley, I want a word," someone said behind him. He looked around to see Hermione who was looking angry.
"Can't it wait? I'm eating," Dudley said, shoving a portion of meat pie into his mouth for emphasis.
"No it can't," Hermione said, squeezing herself in between himself and Dean.
"Hey!" Dean protested, but quietly.
"What do you want?" Dudley asked, after he had swallowed his pie.
"I want you to stop beating up Colin Creevey!" she hissed.
"What? Come on, Hermione …"
"No, you did. I saw him crying … crying in the corridor. When I asked him what had happened, he said you beat him up!"
Ron had stopped eating and was looking at them both curiously.
"Look, Creevey deserved it"
"He's 11 years old," Hermione snapped. "How can he deserve it?"
"Be fair, Hermione, he does follow us around like a bad smell," Ron interjected.
"And you! Always sticking up for your friend. Why don't you see him the way I do? As an overgrown, bullying oaf!"
And with that she spun around and stormed out of the Great Hall.
"What's her problem?" Dudley grunted, surprised at the outburst. He and Hermione weren't close, but they were acquainted, and he knew she didn't approve of him beating up Malfoy or Nott, but he didn't know she was this angry about it.
"I don't think she likes you, mate," Ron said, helping himself to some peas.
"Good riddance," Dudley scoffed.
"Hermione's ok," Ron said. "Bit uptight though."
"Hey, I was glad to be friends with her. She came with us last year, remember?" Dudley said.
Ron gave a noncommittal shrug. "Did you really beat up Creevey?"
"Yeah, he was asking for it," Dudley said.
"He is a bit annoying," Ron conceded. "But, come on Dud, did you really have to beat him up?"
Dudley sighed. "Not you too."
Ron held his hands up defensively. "I'm just saying, he's not a bad kid really. Why'd you do it?"
"I was a bad mood," Dudley shrugged. "Then Creevey started pestering me again."
"He is very annoying," Ron conceded, once more. "And if he caught you at a bad time, well … I can see why you might lose your temper."
"Exactly," Dudley said, spearing a dumpling on his fork. Neither of them had noticed that Dean had already left the feast.
The desserts were also spectacular. Dudley had Black Forest gateau, cheese cake, four types of ice cream and shortbread. Ron had stuffed himself with a trifle.
Finally, Dumbledore stood up and announced that the feast was over and it was time to return to the common rooms. There was a rumble and the murmur of voices as the students trooped out. Ron and Dudley with Neville tagging along just behind were at the front of the Gryffindors.
"Why's this place flooded?" Dudley muttered, hitching up his robes slightly. The floor of the corridor was an inch deep in water.
It was Ron who spotted the cat. "What's that?" he pointed.
Dudley's mouth dropped open, Neville yelped and Lavender gave a small scream. The chatter, noise and bustle died out as other students spotted the cat.
It was Mrs. Norris. She was hanging by her tail from a torch bracket. She was as stiff as a bored, her eyes wide and staring.
"Is she died?" Neville stammered.
"What's that?" Dudley said, pointing at the wall near Mrs. Norris.
The murmurs from the other students grew louder as they read the words in foot-high letters scrawled on the wall.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
The crowd grew quiet as the gathered students mulled the words. Then, a voice cut through the silence.
"Enemies of the heir beware? You'll be next, mudbloods!" It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.
